My Experience

I had been experiencing a lot of sore throats that would last weeks, and had battled bronchitis several times. Every time I would get sick it would take me weeks to recover. My body was starting to build a resistance to certain antibiotics. I was so sick of being sick!

I had an initial visit with my doctor and then scheduled the tonsillectomy. I showed up at the hospital the day of the surgery with an empty stomach.

I was scared as I had not had surgery since I was two-years-old, and I was now 33. I checked in with the receptionist and was then greeted by a sweet Irish woman who set my mind at ease. She was so maternal and told me I was going to be fine. I started to relax and realized I was going to be OK. I was in Massachusetts in one of the best hospitals in the country. I then met with the anesthesiologist who ran through my medical history. I sat and waited for them to call me in.

I was called in around 1:15 pm; my husband had left to run some errands while I was having the surgery. I went into a room and changed into a johnny and was then wheeled into an elevator and to a room with other patients. I was greeted by the nurse who would be in the OR and the doctor also came over to talk to me, setting my fears at ease. I read a magazine while they prepared the other patients. Then they wheeled me into the OR and started prepping me for surgery. They needed to put these sticky buttons on me to monitor my vitals. I was told I would get sleepy and I did.

Immediately after the procedure, I felt fine. I was sore but still really out of it. I sat up in a chair and drank apple juice and had a grape popsicle which tasted like heaven. I was given an ice pack for my neck; the ice pack tied behind my head. It helped out a lot and I was able to reuse it at home.

When I arrived home I vomited 3 times. I was so scared as I read that vomiting can break open the wound so I was crying and hoping it would not happen again. I took some acetaminophen and oxycodone and went to sleep.

I was bad about keeping hydrated. I was so weak because the only thing I was eating was popsicles and an occasional can of soup. I would sit on the couch for days at a time not getting up to do much. I had not had any bowel movements and they said that was normal for me as I was not really eating but on day 8 I got really sick. I started having diarrhea and it lasted for several days.

I had some friends over for the 4th of July and cooked a lot of food which I could not eat. I tried to eat and ended up bleeding that night. It was the worst night of my life, the bleeding and the constant diarrhea was horrible. I did not want to eat, drink or sleep for fear I would not wake up from the bleeding. My husband called the doctor on call and he suggested I gargle with ice-cold water and spit out the water making sure not to swallow the blood. The bleeding finally stopped but I did not sleep the whole night and I was so frail by morning. I had lost 3 pounds in one day and I knew I needed to go to the ER as I could barely stand up.

I went back to the hospital where they told me I was severely dehydrated and they hooked me up to an IV which allowed me to get some fluids that I desperately needed. I left there feeling much better. I did not push myself for the rest of the week. All in all I was out of work for 14 business days and I was glad I did not rush back. I was weak and had lost some weight.